HomeOweners for Better Building Response to Sunset Report -TRCC Historic Hallmark for Bad State Policy
The Sunset review confirms what Home Owners for Better Building has asserted since the establishment of TRCC in 2003, that there is no incentive for builders to construct homes with care or to get it right the first time. By establishing TRCC as a burdensome process daunted with bureaucratic roadblocks for homeowners; fearless and confident bad builders simply ignored their customers.  To that end TRCC aided in pushing 88% of aggrieved homeowners into costly binding mandatory arbitration, protracted legal disputes or to simply give up in submission; setting an historic hallmark for bad state policy.

HomeOwners for Better Building
P.O. Box 791438 , San Antonio TX 78279
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September 4, 2008

Chairman Carl Isett
Sunset Advisory Commission
P.O. Box 13066
Austin, Texas 78711

SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO THE SUNSET STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE TEXAS RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION

Chairman Isett and Sunset Commission Members:

Home Owners for Better Building ( HOBB ) enthusiastically commends the Sunset staff’s for its forthright conclusions and recommendation to abolish the Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) and repeal the Texas Residential Construction Commission Act (TRCCA) that created the agency. 

Sunset staff’s comprehensive findings and conclusions accurately illustrate how current Texas policy protects the interests of the homebuilding industry, rather than those of Texas taxpayers, homeowners, and consumers.

The following Sunset Staff summations make it clear that TRCC has failed, and there is no justification to continue with TRCC or even attempt to fix it. 

Issue #1:”The Texas Residential Construction Commission Fails to Provide Meaningful Oversight and Public Protection Because of Fundamental Structural Flaws in the Current Regulatory Approach.”

Key Findings:”While most other states regulate builders, the majorities do so with more rigorous licensing programs.”  Further, “Fundamental flaws with current industry regulations and the expansion of regulation needed to fix them make it difficult to justify either continuing down the current path or overhauling the State’s approach.”… “Without true regulation designed to ensure public protection, Texans are better served without the Texas Residential Construction Commission.”

The Conclusion: â€œCurrent regulation of the residential construction industry is fundamentally flawed and does more harm than good.”